Headlines - Xbox live fees to be scrapped by Microsoft? You must be mad!

[HEXUS]

The Games For Windows service is now free, so that means Microsoft will be making Xbox live free, right?

Read more.

[slypie]

I think Microsoft should offer an ad funded alternative to the gold membership as well as a paid membership that they already have.

[eshrules]

IMHO, like anything in life, if you want the best, you're going to have to pay for it, in the big scheme of things, the xbox live subscription, over 12 months is reasonably good value, in return for what you do actually get

[s_kinton]

The only thing that could possibly stop MS from charging for XBL is if Sony get their finger out and equal it with Sonys free PSN - which won't happen anytime soon...if at all.

There's no way MS will stop charging, they're leading the way with XBL and until there's a rival to compete with it nothing will change.

[dybydx]

I'm really impressed by the online stuff the 360 offers... but what XBL GOLD offers on top of the normal "silver" service, i'm not toooooo sure if its worth paying extra for.
Agree, its not actually much (£39.99 rrp a year), but when PS3 and Wii are offering online Vs gaming for free anyway, the only thing its offering is the ability to download demos a couple of weeks earlier than silver members...

[TAKTAK]

some games are allready playable on a silver account.....

HERE

[beanbandit]

some games are allready playable on a silver account.....

HERE

But not for long, MS are going to be stopping this soon. So don't get too used to it.

[TAKTAK]

But not for long, MS are going to be stopping this soon. So don't get too used to it.

i'm not getting usded to it at all... i don't have a 360 anymore..

but ever since i sold it, things have been on the up 360 side of things so if this happens i'm going to be severly pissed... cos it was one of the reasons i ditched the console... i couldn't justify an added outlay of £40 a year for xbox live...

[tigerboyce]

£40 is absolutely nothing for the great service you get, and think about it, the cost of XBL is around the cost of one single game.

that's also only 7p a week, im sure nearly everyone who owns an Xbox uses it at least once a week if not more. So its nothing.

As said there is nothing to rival it as PSN is totally incomparable so until then i dont mind paying

[TAKTAK]

£40 is absolutely nothing for the great service you get, and think about it, the cost of XBL is around the cost of one single game.

that's also only 7p a week, im sure nearly everyone who owns an Xbox uses it at least once a week if not more. So its nothing.

As said there is nothing to rival it as PSN is totally incomparable so until then i dont mind paying

yeah but i have long spells of none console usage where i just play PC games...

so there would be alot of downl#time where i wouldn't be using Live.. admittedly it was brilliant while i had the month free trial.. but Halo3 just took the pee when you shoot someone in the head for ages and they never die, and then 1 hit are you die instantly

[Stewart]

It may be a bitter pill to swallow for Xbox 360 fans, when you consider that PS3 gamers are enjoying a similar Playstation Network service free of charge, but you can't deny that Microsoft do offer a more robust and feature-extensive service than its rival

Don't think so really. Bitter pill? I think pretty much everyone who pays for Xbox Live is happy to do so for the superior service. I don't think anyone (certainly not anyone with any sense) thinks - PSN if free, sux!

Anyone think its a bitter pill to swallow?

[Trash Man]

I really hope the Gold service stays has a paid for service. I've been using XBL for around 4 years now with very little disruption, there was some this xmas just gone due to some many new people signing up for XBL but apart from that it's been great. As many have people have said it's cheap, I paid £27 for my last 12 month top up and if it does go free I have reservations as to whether or not the standard of service will decline.

[SAFC Craig]

i dont mind paying the £40, in fact i only paid £40 once for the xbox live starter kit on launch day, since then i have always either got a cheap 12 month sub from ebay or whatever retailer had them on offer, also helps when my old xbox premium used to have to go back to microsoft every 3 months because of 3 red lights and when it came back i would have 1 month free!

[kalniel]

and if it does go free I have reservations as to whether or not the standard of service will decline.

What about the standards of those playing? Is it possible you get slightly more responsible people online if there's someone paying the bill and threat of disconnection for bad behaviour?

[Trash Man]

What about the standards of those playing? Is it possible you get slightly more responsible people online if there's someone paying the bill and threat of disconnection for bad behaviour?

Very good point. If you look at Guild Wars, which is a free to play MMORPG and compare it nearly any other MMORPG that you are required to pay for to play, then yes, in my opinion there are without doubt more responsible, better behaved people playing on the paid for service. Of course there are exceptions to this.

On the other had it's not like it's hard to get a parent or older sibling to pay using their CC or to find the £30 needed to buy a 12 month sub. It would be interesting to see what the service was like if it was free after a month or 2.

[Stewart]

Its not really a good point, or at least it doesn't seem to be true. Xbox Live is full of racist rubbishrubbishrubbishrubbishrubbish, being racist rubbishrubbishrubbishrubbishrubbish while they play Halo3 or whatever. Mostly American children.

I assume PSN is the same.